I spent a lovely morning visiting the Dressing Downton exhibit at the beautiful Paine Art Center and Gardens in Oshkosh. As a big fan of the PBS series, Downton Abbey, I could easily picture the scenes that featured these impeccable costumes. No photography was allowed, but you can take a virtual tour at dressingdownton.com.

It's cherry season in Door County and the bows of the trees are heavy with tart, crimson fruit. Yet somehow the fruit of this tree tastes sweeter because it grows on property that's been in the Larson family for over 100 years!

These beautiful flowers were an anniversary gift from Eric. So was the camera that captured these photos. I've really enjoyed my Project 365 for the past two and a half years and have learned so much about lighting, composition, angles, and editing. Yet, as pleased as I've been with most of my pictures, iPhotography is quite limiting. These are the first photos taken with my new Sony a5000. In the coming weeks, I will be attending a digital photography course to become more knowledgeable about my new camera and to practice techniques that will further improve my skills. Thank you to Eric for seeing my potential and for encouraging me to continue learning and creating!

As much as I am committed to life-long learning, I sometimes struggle to balance beliefs that "knowledge is power" while "ignorance is bliss".

For example, years ago, I didn't know that these pretty purple flowers and their equally lovely crimson berries are actually very poisonous. This new knowledge now helps me keep Piper safe when we walk in the woods.

Yet, there is certain innocent ignorance that is enchanting, like beloved childhood myths who leave presents on Christmas Eve or money under pillows in exchange baby teeth or believing that Christopher Plumber actually sang "Edelweiss" in The Sound of Music. Another of my long-held, innocent beliefs was shattered today as I read Go Set a Watchman, Harper Lee's "sequel" to To Kill a Mockingbird.

I don't like to read reviews of books or films before I see them; I would rather formulate my own opinion without outside influences. So I won't give anything away here either expect that, despite the controversy surrounding the "suspicious" timing of the book's publication and the unpopular depiction of its beloved characters, the fact remains that Harper Lee did indeed write this version of the Finch family. It's a book about personal convictions and conscience that we all must reconcile for ourselves. For thus the Lord said to me: "Go, set a watchman; let him announce what he sees." (Isaiah 21:6)

There's a lot to celebrate today. First, Joyeuse Fête nationale to all of my French and francophile friends! What better way to toast the day than with une coupe de Champagne (especially one with a tricolor reflection)?!

And speaking of tricolor, our little beagle is on the mend! Miss Piper been through so much this past week (as have Maman et Papa), but the treatment worked like a charm and she seems to already be in remission. Thanks again for all of your best wishes for the three of us! Bisous ❤

Finally, I have one more francophile reason to celebrate: I will be teaching a blended French 4/5 course in the fall and have been working hard on a simulated year in Paris website (check it out: Une année à Paris). It's still a work in progress, but I'm excited to be «Madame» again!

This week, in honor of La Fête Nationale/Bastille Day, I'm celebrating la vie française chez moi. Today, we're au jardin. Every year, I try to grow lavender. I love the fragrance, the color, the taste -- it's a Proustian sensory memory that immediately transports me to the south of France. But let's face it, the weather in Wisconsin doesn't compare to the climate en Provence. I'll never have enough blossoms to make soap or a sachet or lavender ice cream, but if I'm lucky, I can pick sprig or two to brighten a stormy day or a glass of lemonade.

In the 1920s, Gertrude Stein famously stated, "America is my country. Paris is my hometown." How nice when the two combine! I love that Milwaukee is the City of Festivals, celebrating the cultural diversity that makes up the fabric of this town. My favorite celebration is Bastille Days for obvious reasons. Although I long to return to Paris, its great to enjoy live music, the international marketplace, cooking and wine demos, French and Cajun cuisine, and of course the Eiffel Tower (albeit a 43-foot replica -- barely 4% the size of the one -- with an MSOE sign) right here at home. Vive la France à Milwaukee!

Miss Piper is six months old and 17.5 pounds today! She is such a sweet, pretty, little puppy, and we love her so much! She loves her family, being outside, peanut butter, her many toys, playing with Roxie and Lucky, and snuggling. She is very smart, social, and sassy!

This past month has been rough for our little girl. In June she had dental surgery to extract 4 retained canines and two more stubborn baby teeth (in this regard, she takes after Mommy). While she was under, she also had her laparoscopic spay. After her operations, we thought our trips to the vet were over for a while, but this week, Miss Piper hasn't been herself. Over the past three days, she has endured a night in the emergency room, IV fluids and pain meds, and a spinal tap. We are so thankful that they have almost certainly ruled out meningitis, but she may still be facing further x-rays and blood work to try to determine why she hasn't been feeling well. We are doing everything we can to help her get better, but through it all she keeps wagging her tail and giving everyone kisses. Piper has been the cause of a lot of worry and a lot of expense lately, but she has brought so much joy and love into our lives. We love you, Miss Piper! Happy Half Birthday!

We have an update on Miss Piper: She's home! Her spinal tap today revealed no conclusive signs of meningitis, but the neurologist will take a closer look tomorrow. Her fever is down, she's eating, and wants to play. So rather than keep her in the hospital over night, we elected to take her home. Tomorrow we will have her monitored for the day at our vet's office and get a second opinion, but for now, we wait. We're just so relieved that she's feeling better and with us for the night. Thank you for all your prayers and wishes - keep them coming, they're working!

Please keep our sweet little Piper in your thoughts tonight. She has been sleeping a lot and hardly eating. Tonight she was shaky and didn't want to play, so we took her to the emergency vet. Her symptoms of lethargy, fever, shaking, decreased appetite, neck and jaw sensitivity all point to Steroid Responsive Meningitis (SRM), also know as Beagle Pain Syndrome.

She is receiving IV fluids and pain meds tonight and will undergo blood tests, a spinal tap, and possibly an MRI tomorrow to confirm the diagnosis. We are praying that she is diagnosed early and is responsive to the subsequent steroid treatment so that she can come home to us soon. We love her so much!

July 7, 2015 {188/365} Anchored in Hope

"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul. A hope both sure and steadfast." Hebrews 6:19

"Nature is impersonal, awe-inspiring, elegant, eternal. It's geometrically perfect. It's tiny and gigantic. You can travel far to be in a beautiful natural setting, or you can observe it in your backyard...." ~ Gretchen Rubin

"Let it be borne on the flag under which we rally in every exigency, that we have one country, one constitution, one destiny." ~ Daniel Webster [One more photo from Philly: US Coast Guard Cutter - Eagle]

This photo, taken from our hotel room at Penn's Landing, serves as an excellent metaphor for my learning at ISTE 2015.

First, it is expansive, yet there are signals and markers to help navigate as we explore. The Philadelphia Convention Center is huge! We walked several miles each day traveling from session to session and exploring the expo halls. One of the presenters equated the conference to a buffet: You can't consume everything. It's best to sample, go back for more until your are full. I had a taste of the SAMR Model as it relates to blended learning. I sampled a smorgasbord of tech tools before focusing on specific tools for assessment. I was served with several ideas for engaging teachers in professional development while continuously focusing on my own learning. I even had fun manipulating images and creating art with my iPad. Without navigators like the ISTE mobile app and volunteers holding up "Ask Me" signs, I could have easily been lost in a sea of edtech and overwhelmed by information overload.

At Penn's Landing, a solid foundation and good construction has allowed these old building to retain their integrity while evolving to suit contemporary tastes and requirements. So too, has education evolved. A strong pedagogic foundation, focusing on inquiry, critical thinking, and student engagement, allows learners to personalize their educational experiences with a variety of tech tools in alternative teaching and learning environments.

The goal is not to teach technology, but rather to use online tools and devices to build the bridge between content standards and student engagement/achievement. The presenters and attendees at the ISTE Conference recognize that technology integration is not a destination. Technology provides a connection between traditional learning and the real world as well as among learners across the globe.

The boats in this harbor are safely moored for now, yet as John Shedd famously said at the turn of the 20th Century, "A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for." We must not become complacent in our learning. Even when we've worked hard to make it to our destination, we must continue to questions what more there is to learn. The tools will continue to evolve too, making further exploration more convenient, more enticing, and more challenging. After celebrating our accomplishments (and recovering from this conference), we must pull up our anchors and continue on our journey of life-long learning and discovery.